The junior reps finals are gona be exciting this weekend arent they?
I feel sorry for the top 4 who have to play the 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th teams, one loss, one bad day and they are out!!! Surely another system could be devised. If I were a coach or player at one of the lower teams, I would feel no pressure coming into this game and just play footy without a care in the world. My money is on an upset somewhere
Lets look at the Matts first, Parra and Bulldogs (I have seen both) are by far the two best teams in the comp and should be ok, although the Roosters have some footy in them with Antonelli at 7 and with some pace out wide, they can score tries from anywhere, if they get it together............
The two DANGER GAMES for mine are Manly v St George and Gold Coast v Central Coast. I have not seen Manly or St George this year but I am told that Manly are small and St George are massive. Most people I have spoken to who have come up against Manly have said that they are nothing special, they have been lucky in some games and if you see their scorelines, they have not smashed anyone. They must have something to have finished 3rd but, these two teams played each other last week and it was close so.........it's all on in this game for my money.
Gold coast have had trouble travelling. They clicked last week against Western Academy but they are one inconsistent team. The Central Coast are quite a good footy side, and I will be an interested spectator at good olg HENSON PARK.
I cannot see the Sharks beating the Knights because Sharkies have been found wanting in the big games but I think a humdinger of a game will be Wests v Penrith and I think the team playing in black will win!! (ha ha)
So my tips for the quarter finals are...........
Bulldogs, Parra, Manly (just), Gold Coast (just), Penrith and Knights. It will be a Dogs Parra GF which Dogs will win at a canter.
In the SG Ball, I think this is a tighter comp. I think any of the top 4 can win it. St george have had a great season but have some stern tests coming up. The wheels appear to have fallen off Manly since round 3 so lets tip St George by a cricket score there and the bulldogs should cater for penrith.
Balmain are the smokies for me, they have beaten a couple of sides and Newtown have been inconsistent so i will tip Balmain here , I also think Gold Coast, Parra and Melbourne will reign supreme.
Any one else wanna challenge my tips???
Mate you know what you are talking about and have some real good thoughts!!!!
In the Harold matthews, unless something bizarre happens it is two team competition! Parra and the Dogs look unbeatable, and if that is the grand final, what a game it will be. What is going to help the dogs is that they have five or six players that played harold matthews last year. But all Parra teams are tough and never know whats going to happen!
And realyl anything can happen in knock out semi's.
I agree with you on the sharks, they have the potential but just seem to lose control against the good sides.
The dragons are my upset for the weekend.
My tips for this weekends games are:
Dogs, Parra, Dragons, Penrith, Newcastle, Gold Coast
In the SG Ball, It really is a much tigher competition. The Dragons have had a very good season, but looked like they were going to crumble towards the end of the year, but proved how good they were with the win against Manly. As well as parra, they were looking shaky with a loss against Balmain and escaping with wins against Cronulla and Melbourne.
The Dogs were scrappy all year, Me being a doggies fan have watched most of their games. But looks like they have found form at the right time of the year and have all their players back at the right time of year. I would of loved to see them verse Parra in the grand final but unfortunately with them both finishing second and third I dont think it can happen. Cronulla are the same as they are in harold matthews, Very unpredictable. And Balmain and Newtown were both my smokies so I think they can both cause major upsets after one or the other knocks eachother out.
Gold coast and Melbourne will struggle to travel. And I know Penrith got smashed by the dogs dont write them off.
My tips are:
Dragons, Dogs, Parra, Newcastle, Balmain, Melbourne
